I would like to thank The Bee for covering the release of the STAR test results in the editorial "State students are scoring better" Aug. 30, and emphasizing that increasing access to high-quality preschool programs can play an important role in narrowing the achievement gaps revealed in the test results.

Preschool programs reduce academic disparities by getting children ready to learn at an early age so that they don't start school already behind.

As an employee of a small law firm in Fresno, I appreciate the benefits that high-quality early education programs offer our business community. Students who attend quality preschools start out with a stronger footing and are more likely to have successful academic lives and careers.

Additionally, high-quality preschool programs help cultivate a skilled work force by giving young children a solid foundation in early social and academic skills.

Unfortunately, children who start out behind, without that solid foundation, tend to stay behind, as a study by the RAND Corporation found. Investing in quality preschool gives us an opportunity to ensure they get that strong, early start, yielding great benefits and a high return on investment to all of us.